How to Fix Iertutil.dll Not Found or Missing Errors

Iertutil.dll errors are caused by situations that lead to the removal or corruption of the iertutil DLL file, which is the run time utility for Internet Explorer.

In some cases, iertutil.dll errors could indicate a registry problem, a virus or malware issue, or even a hardware failure.

Iertutil.dll Errors

There are several ways iertutil.dll errors can show up on your computer. Here are some of the more common messages you might see:

• Iertutil.dll Not Found
• This application failed to start because iertutil.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix this problem.
• Cannot find [PATH]\iertutil.dll
• The file iertutil.dll is missing.
• Explorer.exe- Unable To Locate Component : This application has failed to start because iertutil.dll was not found.
• Cannot start [APPLICATION]. A required component is missing: iertutil.dll. Please install [APPLICATION] again.

These errors might appear while using or installing certain programs, when Windows starts or shuts down, or maybe even during a Windows installation. The context of the error is an important piece of information that will be helpful while solving the problem.

How to Fix Iertutil.dll Errors

Follow these steps in the order they're given below to try the simpler solutions first.

1. Restore iertutil.dll from the Recycle Bin. The easiest possible cause of a "missing" iertutil.dll file is that you've mistakenly deleted it.

   If you suspect this, but you've already emptied the Recycle Bin, you may be able to recover the file with a free data recovery program.

   Start Windows in Safe Mode to complete this step, or any of these steps, if you're unable to access Windows normally due to the error.

2. Run a virus/malware scan of your entire system. Some iertutil.dll errors could be related to a virus or other malware infection on your computer that has damaged the DLL file. It's even possible that the error you're seeing is related to a hostile program that's masquerading as the file.

3. Use System Restore to undo recent system changes. If you suspect that the error was caused by a change made to an important file or configuration, System Restore could solve the problem.

4. Copy the iertutil.dll file to C:\Windows\system32\.

   The idea here is to find a working copy of the file and place it in the System32 folder. You can do this a number of ways, but the simplest is to use the Everything search tool (or Windows' built-in search) to find a copy.

   Here are some examples of folders where it might be located:
   

   C:\Windows\system32\dllcache\
   

   C:\Windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-ie-runtimeutilities_31bf3856ad364e35_11.0.22621.674_none_ed5473ee7f2ef365\
   

   It's possible that the issue is causing File Explorer to stop working, which means there isn't a graphical interface to work with—like the desktop, Start menu, taskbar, etc.

   If so, access Task Manager's Run new task option (this is in the File menu in some versions of Windows), and select Browse to check the \system32\ folder to see if the file is truly missing. If it is, check that the \system32\dllcache\ folder has a copy. If it does, copy it by right-clicking or tapping-and-holding down on the file, and then paste it in \system32\.

   If you can't find the file there, copy it from a working computer to a flash drive, and then copy the DLL file off of the flash drive to the C:\Windows\system32\ folder. Again, if File Explorer isn't working, you can use Task Manager to do the copying and pasting.
   

5. Install any available Windows updates. Many service packs and other patches replace or update some of the hundreds of Microsoft distributed DLL files on your computer. The iertutil.dll file could be included in one of those updates.

6. Repair your installation of Windows. If the individual iertutil.dll file troubleshooting advice above is unsuccessful, performing a startup repair or repair installation should restore all Windows DLL files to their working versions.

7. Test your memory and then test your hard drive. We've left the majority of hardware troubleshooting to the last step, but your computer's memory and hard drive are easy to test and are the most likely components that might cause iertutil.dll errors as they fail.

   If the hardware fails any of your tests, replace the memory or replace the hard drive as soon as possible.

8. Use a free registry cleaner to repair iertutil.dll related issues in the registry. A free registry cleaner program may be able to help by removing invalid iertutil.dll registry entries that might be causing the DLL error.

   We rarely recommend the use of registry cleaners. We've included the option here as a "last resort" attempt before the destructive step coming up next.

9. Perform a clean installation of Windows. This will erase everything from the hard drive and install a fresh copy of Windows. If none of the steps above correct the iertutil.dll error, this should be your next course of action.

   All the information on your hard drive will be erased during a clean install. Make sure you've made the best attempt possible to fix the iertutil.dll error using a troubleshooting step prior to this one.

10. Troubleshoot for a hardware problem if any iertutil.dll errors persist. After a clean install of Windows, your DLL problem can only be hardware related.

Need More Help?

If you're not interested in fixing this problem yourself, see How Do I Get My Computer Fixed? for a full list of your support options, plus help with everything along the way like figuring out repair costs, getting your files off, choosing a repair service, and a lot more.